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Dynamic Sketching 1

Dynamic Sketching 1

An 8-week course utilizing observational drawing to understand how to see the world for the creation of design and illustration; develop strong foundation sketching skills through observation
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Observe life and communicate visually

Observe life and communicate visually
Learn how to communicate visually through drawing principles and knowledge. Dynamic Sketching will enable you to approach the world around and begin to observe life. We will use observation as inspiration to begin your own designs. Design can be a daunting task at times and may take longer for others to master but with the dynamic sketching approach you will have stepping stones along the way.

Dynamic Sketching 1 is a class designed to develop a foundation in basic drawing skills. Students will learn how to break down objects to their most simplistic forms. Using pen and toned paper, students will learn to build confidence in their line work. (Please click on “Request Syllabus” under your instructor’s profile to download a full, detailed materials list).
Registration Now Open
Registration Period
Oct 09, 2024 - Jan 27, 2025
Course Start
Jan 21, 2025

Course Format

Standard

Skills Level

Beginner

Duration

8 weeks

Q&A

Once a week

Feedback

Individual recordings

Lecture Type

Pre-recorded
Assignment
Due each week. Expect to spend 8-10 hrs/wk viewing lectures, Q&A, and time on assignments.
PREREQUISITES
None
MATERIALS
Sketchbook with brown paper, felt-tip pens, Sharpie pen Ultrafine, wide Copic marker, white color pencil, Uniball Signo white pen | Click on "Request Syllabus" to download the full materials list for each instructor.

The more you know, the better.

Discover the importance of warming up your hand before drawing and sketching | Warm-up exercises including line control, line weight and efficiency | Materials review
Basic perspective exercises | Perspective & ellipse tips & tricks
Develop convincing volumes using organic forms and contour lines | Texture studies | Applying texture to the basic forms
Understanding basic lighting: learn how light interacts with and expresses form | Applying textures | Creating a focal point and having fun with arrows | How light behaves differently on different materials and textures
Learning to combine and manipulate the 5 forms to create believable volumes | Dissecting forms to create depth | Basic form analysis
Arboretum/garden trip (local parks, gardens, and plant nurseries are also acceptable) | Draw organic forms from observation at location and learn to break them into simple thumbnails | Understanding how to finish a drawing | Building visual vocabulary | Practicing everything we have been absorbing from the previous weeks but this time drawing by observation from life (the subject matter will be plants)
Taking what we learn from observation and transforming them into original concepts that can be used for the entertainment industry | Now that we have become more familiar with the shapes and forms of plants, we will apply what we have learned and use those observations as inspiration to design an environment, character, vehicle, prop, etc.
The importance of layout | Recap | A sneak peek at Dynamic Sketching 2

Testimonials

I like that the feedback session is done for all students at the same time, that way we can learn from each other, not just a standalone feedback.

Cally

I like how no matter the level of experience each student has the instructor always gave constructive criticism. They never tore anyone down.

Dennis

Great at clearly conveying ideas and concepts to the students, even without direct contact or interaction during the lectures.

Cody

Patrick Ballesteros is a brilliant teacher, who can encourage students in their way to development in a professional and friendly way. He is very open and always ready to help.

Aleksandra

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